Aspiration?

[Olivias_mum]

Olivia has always had problems with swallowing, when she was in NICU she used to choke on her milk constantly, stop breathing, turn blue/dusky, desat etc, i kept mentioning it and kept getting told it was because of the whole suck/swallow thing and that it would sort itself out, she continued to do it even after we came home (reflux meds didnt help at all, she wasnt being sick but thought it could have been silent reflux) it did gradually get better and now she only ever chokes on milk occasionally, the thing is she still chokes on water/juice. Literally every time she has any liquid that isnt thick she chokes, coughs, splutters and changes colour etc, She also gets loads of chest infections. Any one got any ideas or experience!?

xx

 

[nkbapbt]

Our son is an aspirator due to his left vocal cord being paralyzed. That is why he has a g-tube, he has been unable to swallow liquids safely since birth. Literally just today, the switch from him getting all his diet needs via his g-tube was made to it just being for hydration!

Anyways, was she ever given a swallow/feeding study? And have you ever tried thickening her liquids? There are a lot of food thickeners on the market, Simply Thick is what we use and it just thickens without changing the taste. It helps Lakai not cough and aspirate.

 

[Olivias_mum]

Oo does that mean he will hopefully get rid of the g tube soon!? and no did they bollocks do a swallow study!, our NICU/paeds is shocking with stuff like that, if its cost money..there not gonna do it! She used to desat to like 20% every feed, i dont know what her sats are now but shes definately still coughing/gagging/changing colour, but they just said she would grow out of it and sent her home doing it..without oxygen!

xx

 

[AP]

Does still sound like a reflux thing to me, what meds was she on before?

 

[nkbapbt]

It could be reflux. However it's unlikely that babies will destat that low with reflux alone, and aspiration and reflux are very common together. Lakai has both.

If they won't swallow study her, why not just try thickening her liquids? I mean it would cost under $20 (if that) and should likely work. Even for reflux! =)

And yes, this hopefully means his tube will be out soon...If I have anything to say about it!

 

[AP]

Jo they did that with my friends 27 weeker, he used to go blue and they said the same - he'll grow out of it. And he did!